At a gathering, a fellow traveler who’d just completed an epic road trip from New York City to Patagonia asked me a thought-provoking question: "How do you handle returning home, maintaining the spirit of travel, and keeping the lessons you learned alive?" This question hits home for many travelers who often experience post-travel blues or even depression after long trips.
Coming home can be more challenging than leaving or adjusting to life abroad. It’s anticlimactic. Before your trip, there’s a whirlwind of emotions, preparations, and excitement. You’ve been planning for months, visualizing yourself exploring new places, meeting fascinating people, and embarking on an adventure. You’re excited and looking forward to a future filled with possibilities.
But then, after months or even years abroad, you return home and it’s suddenly "now what?" The excitement and anticipation are gone. You’re back to your old routine, and it feels like your trip never happened. Your friends might show some interest in your travel stories, but soon enough, their eyes glaze over.
So, how can you keep the spirit of travel alive when you’re back home? And in these times of quarantine due to the coronavirus, when flights are grounded and the travel industry is at a standstill, how can you maintain that sense of adventure while you’re stuck at home?
Here are seven ways to bring the world to you when you can’t go to it:
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Read travel books: Books can transport you to different places and cultures. They can inspire you, feed your wanderlust, and expand your "to visit" list. Let your mind travel when your body can’t.
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Watch travel movies: Movies about travel can satisfy your wanderlust. From classics like Indiana Jones to biopics like Wild to documentaries like A Map for Saturday, there’s a travel movie for everyone.
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Start planning your next trip: The current situation with the coronavirus will pass, and we’ll be able to travel again. Use this time at home to plan your next trip. It will keep you busy and make the days and weeks fly by.
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Start collecting points & miles: Sign up for a new travel credit card and start earning points and miles for free flights and hotel stays. This is how you can travel more without spending a lot of money.
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Join online communities: Connect with other travelers and keep the spirit of travel alive by joining an online community. Share trips, advice, and stories, and keep your spirits high!
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Read travel blogs: Travel blogs offer a wealth of information, insider tips, and stories that can help you plan your next trip. Plus, reading blogs helps support those who rely on advertising as part of their income.
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Meet travelers near you: Once the quarantine is lifted, meeting other travelers in your local area can be a great way to keep the spirit of travel alive.
Coming home can be hard, but there are many ways to keep the spirit of travel alive while you’re at home. Use these tips, plan a future trip, and remember, the world will be waiting for you when this is all over.
Lastly, don’t forget to book your trip using reliable resources. Find cheap flights using Skyscanner, book your accommodation with Hostelworld or Booking.com, and always remember to get travel insurance. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong.
If you want to travel for free, consider getting a travel credit card that allows you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation. And if you need help finding activities for your trip, check out Get Your Guide, a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.
Happy planning and safe travels!
